Ghost of Christmas Future
by SFogh
Summary: My version of what could have happened during Spring Break (eps. 218).


**A/N: So I know I haven't posted for a while. Actually not since around April, but I just haven't found the motivation to write. I feed off angst and we haven't really gotten any this season. Why I'm I writing now you ask. Well maybe out of guilt for not updating my stories or maybe because of my frustration with the show. Maybe a combination. This story isn't an update as I'm sure you have figured out by now lol. It is however a story I have had on my computer since before season 2 ended. It was half finished then. It is my version of the what could have happened during Spring Break. I'm sure you all have read Jessers amazing version. This is mine although not nearly long. I hope you enjoy and don't forget to review even though I might not deserve it. Don't we all here believe in second chances though? :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hart of Dixie or any of its characters.**

**I apologize in advance for any misspelling or bad grammar. English is not my native language and I proofread this one myself.**

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Wade wasn't enjoying Spring Break at all. He knew the beaches at Fairhope would be littered with pretty young girls; the ones he use to chase or be chased by. He also knew Lavon was showcasing BlueBell by throwing his own Spring Break party and he couldn't enjoy himself knowing Zoe would be there. He didn't want to upset her now that she was actually speaking to him again.

What he didn't know was that Zoe had chosen the same strategy and even picked the same location as him. The moment he had seen her chatting with some frat boys, his mood had decreased significantly.

Fairhope wasn't a large town, and he knew the chance of running into her again was huge, if not certain. The risk of her seeing him intoxicated with another woman wasn't one he was willing to take. After dinner, he decided to take a walk on the beach and watch the sunset before heading home.

He walked for a while picking up flat stones and trying to skip them across the calm, flat surface of the ocean. As he watched the stone skip eight times, a new personal record, he noticed the amount of seagulls coming to shore. He looked to the horizon where the sun was setting; the clouds had almost engulfed it. A gust of wind brought with it a familiar smell. Wade knew what was coming; rain. He loved rain. Heat waves were great too, but the feeling of rain on his skin reminded him of fishing trips with his dad before his mother died; before his dad became the town's drunk and he was left to fend for himself.

He took his boots and socks off and strolled along the water's edge for another five minutes. As he walked around a bend, he saw Zoe sitting on the sand among some large rocks, mumbling and throwing pebbles into the water.

"I don't think there are any bars out here Doc," he said and smirked.

"Wade! What are doing here?! She clearly wasn't happy to see him. "Are you following me or something?"

Wade chuckled as he approached her. "I spend Spring Break here every year," he lied. "It seems to me, you're the one doing the following." He chuckled.

She responded by sticking her tongue out at him.

"Very mature Doc. You'll fit right in around here." He took a few steps closer and noticed she had been crying.

"Go away!"

"Hey Doc, are you okay? Do I need to go punch a frat boy?"

"Please leave me alone Wade," she pleaded.

"Nope, not happening," he responded resolutely and sat down next to her.

Zoe sighed and they sat there for a few minutes in silence. Wade joined her, throwing stones into the water. He wanted to ask what had made her upset, but he knew it had to be a guy, and he didn't want to open that can of worms. Unfortunately, Zoe opened it for him.

"Why are all men scum?!," she spat.

He sighed. "I don't know Doc. Some of us are born that way but some of us try our hardest not to be." He tried a smile that quickly vanished when he saw the expression on her face.

After a few moments of silence Wade spoke. "What do you want me to say Zoe?" he sighed. "It wasn't like I wanted to hurt you. I just…"

"You just what Wade?!"

"I .. I just didn't know how to be the kind a guy you wanted."

She sighed and shook her head. "How do you know what kind of guy I want?" She asked defensively. She picked up a stone, closed her hand around it and squeezed it, hard. She was angry, but they were finally talking about what happened. She had been waiting for this since they broke up. She needed to know and yelling wouldn't help so she took her anger out on the stone in her hand.

"Well.. you've always had a thing for George. Then there was Judson and Jesse, my brother. All sophisticated men with prospect and money. For some reason I thought I had to win the contest and become a respectable bar owner for me to hold on to you." He paused and looked at her. She was staring at the ocean. "Can you really see yourself settling down with a bartender in a small town in the middle of nowhere?"

Zoe threw the stone in her hand into the ocean, picked up another, squeezing it again. He saw her close her eyes, her muscles tense up and then relax as she exhaled.

She turned towards him and spoke as calmly as she could. "So you just made the decision for me? Here I thought you could read me like an open book. I don't sleep with men, I don't have feelings for and I don't ask them to be my boyfriend if I don't think it has the potential to last." She sighed and closed her eyes for a second. "What would even be the point of that? You really think I would choose to be a relationship with you if I didn't think we could have a future together"? Her features softened towards the end. She even managed to smile at him.

He felt himself relax a little and smiled back. He had missed her smile. More than she could ever know. It felt good getting everything out in the open. He had to tread carefully though.

"I don't know, maybe it was all in my head. I've never been good at living up to anyone's expectations, only down to what most people thought of me. The son of the town drunk that got in trouble, slept with any woman that was willing and also screwed things up in the end. I.."

She interrupted him and put a hand on his leg. "I never saw you as any of that Wade... Well okay, maybe at first, but not when I got to know you.," she spoke softly.

"I know you don't Zoe," he smiled. "I just had a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that someone saw more in me than I did myself. I thought it was only a matter of time before I would disappoint you and you would break up with me. I'd had a really bad day, not that it is any kind of excuse though. It felt like you wanted me to win more than I did, giving me that sign, pushing me to sing with George even suggesting I'd contact crazy Lily Ann. In the end, in my alcohol induced state, I figured I'd end it first, the only way I knew how."

"That's messed up Wade." She paused. "I'll admit though that I didn't really help things with my pushy behavior."

He shook his head. "It wasn't you fault Zoe." He looked at her with pleading eyes. "I'm so sorry Zoe. I know I can't undo what I did and I probably don't deserve another chance, but if there is even a slight chance for us, I'll do anything to prove that I won't hurt you again."

"Wade," she sighed out. "I've barely had time to get over what happened. It's not that I don't still have feelings for you, because I do." She saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes and felt bad for what she was about to say next. "But you had to know that was the _one_ thing, I wouldn't be able to forgive." She was on the verge of tearing up. As much as Wade had hurt her, she felt really bad for causing him pain and if she was being completely honest, she had thought about giving him another chance and working through their problems. She just couldn't tell him that, give him hope and then end up hurting him even more if she wasn't able to forgive him and give them another go. She needed more time. Time to process what he had said.

They sat in eerie silence for several minutes both staring at the waves unable to look at each other. The first raindrops landed on Wade's head and he looked up. The rain had arrived, but not even rain could wash away the sadness and hopelessness that had filled his body after Zoe's discouraging words.

Soon the rain was pouring down, but both figures on the beach, remained motionless. Wade battled back and forth on whether to say something or not. Was there even anything left to say? If she couldn't, wouldn't forgive him, was there anything he could actually say or do to convince her otherwise?

"Zoe…" Wade finally began, but Zoe knew what was coming and she couldn't take anymore. She was both physically and emotionally exhausted.

"I need to go Wade," she said bluntly and looked for her purse.

"I know; we should get out of the rain. We'll get cold soon."

She turned and faced him. "That's not what I mean." Even with the rain falling he could see the slight guilt on her face and the tears forming in her corner of her eyes. "Zoe..," he almost whispered.

"I'm sorry Wade…." She stood up and dusted the now wet sand off her clothes while Wade sat motionless on the ground. She made it twenty feet before she heard his voice.

"Zoe wait..!" She turned, saw him get up and move towards her. Her head told her to move but she was unable to. He came closer until he was inches from her. They looked into each others eyes as the rain kept coming down with increasing intensity. His eyes silently pleading with her to stay and hers showing fear and doubt. His instincts took over as he cupped her face with his hands and learned in until their lips was so close he could feel her shallow breathing on his face. He opened his eyes and saw that hers was closed. She wasn't making an attempt to move. So he closed the remaining distance. The kiss was soft and gentle yet filled with passion and unspoken feelings. At first she reciprocated and he felt his hope rising until she pulled away.

"I'm sorry Wade.. I can't… I really _really _wish I could, but I just can't…" Even with those words, Zoe couldn't move. A voice inside her was screaming for her to turn and run but somehow she couldn't.

Wade sensed her hesitation. He knew that if he didn't do something, say something, she would turn and leave; possible for good. He reached for her, but she moved away.

"No, I can't… I just can't" She took a step backwards. She watched as Wade sighed deeply and looked to the ground defeated. He didn't know what else to do. With her brain back in charge she turned and walked away. She looked back a few times and Wade hadn't moved. She started to move faster and soon she was running.

With tears streaming down her face, Zoe ran down the beach as fast as her well-shaped legs could carry her. Only when she ran out of breath, did she stop. She looked back in the direction where she left Wade standing in the rain but all she saw was an empty beach. He hadn't run after her. A part of her wanted him to, but she needed space and time to think and she couldn't do that with him in close proximity.

The rain slowly subsided so she sat down on the beach and wrapped her arms around her knees. I mean she couldn't get more wet anyway. She sat there for a couple of minutes just staring out over the ocean, trying to control her emotions.

Suddenly she heard a woman's voice behind her.

"Are you okay? I'm a doctor," the voice said.

Zoe continued to stare at the waves breaking. "No… I mean yes. I'm fine," she said unconvincingly

"Boy trouble?," the woman asked.

"How can you tell?"

"Experience I guess," the woman said. "Did he hurt you?"

Zoe buried her face in her hands and nodded.

"Should I call the police?"

"No, it's not like that," Zoe mumbled. "He cheated on me."

"Men can be such jerks," the women stated behind Zoe. Zoe nodded. "Did you catch him in the act?"

Zoe shook her head. "It happened a few months ago and the pain hasn't lessened at all. In fact I feel even worse." Zoe felt the woman sit down next to her.

"Could it be because you miss him? Miss being with him?"

"Maybe. I don't know. I don't exactly have much experience with this kind of situation."

"I do."

"You do?" Even through the blur of her tears mixed with raindrops, she noticed something familiar about her.

"About 15 years ago my husband cheated on me."

"What happened?" Zoe asked, wondering if this woman could shed some light on her situation.

"He wasn't my husband at the time. We'd been together for no more than a few months when he slept with some random girl after too much alcohol."

"Sounds familiar… What happened next," Zoe asked curiously.

"After a few months of avoiding him I realized that even though his betrayal hurt me to the core, not being with him, hurt me even more."

"So you just forgave him and took him back?"

"Well yes and no. I did give him another chance but it wasn't easy. I still hadn't forgiven him for what he did to me. We took it slow though and after some counseling, our relationship and love became even stronger than before."

Zoe chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, It's just.. my b.. guy isn't exactly the counseling type."

"Trust me honey, whatever conditions or restrictions you might demand for taking him back, he will agree to."

"I guess. So you're happy now?

"I couldn't be happier. We got married the Christmas after we got back together. We live in a small town, in a lovely house with our two beautiful children."

"Did he ever cheat again?"

"Not that I know of and I trust him one hundred percent."

"Thanks. I actually feel a lot better now… What did you say your name was?" A seagull screeching overhead caught Zoe's attention for a moment. She watched it land in the water in front of her.

"I didn't, but since you ask.. It's Zoe." The woman's voice nothing but a whisper now.

Zoe took her eyes off the seagull to look at the woman but there was no one there. Zoe quickly rose to her feet and looked around the beach. Empty. She wiped the moisture from her eyes and looked around again, but there wasn't a soul anywhere and the only sound coming from the raindrops falling.

Had it been a dream? No, she was sure she'd been awake. A person couldn't just vanish like that. Maybe it had been a ghost? No, she was a woman of science for Christ sake. She didn't believe in ghosts.

She walked back up the beach lost in thoughts. Another seagull screeching brought her back to reality. It landed on the beach a hundred feet from her. She looked at it for a moment when a shadowy figure sitting on a rock near the bird caught her attention. As she came closer it became obvious it was Wade. A small smile appeared on her face. It was like everything clicked in her head. She approached him.

She stopped a few feet from the rock and spoke softly. "Wade."

He turned his head, surprised to see her. "Doc? You came back.." He moved from his spot on the rock and closed the distance between them.

"Yeah.." She took a deep breath. "Something weird just happened. I can't really describe it, but I …" She paused. "I think I had a vision."

"A vision Doc?" He raised his eyebrows. "Do I need to check for Lean Mercy's again?"

"Shut up! .. I know how it sounds, but it helped me realize something."

"Yeah?" Wade egged her on.

"The hurt I felt after.. you know." They locked eyes. "It's nothing compared to the pain I feel when I'm not with you."

He felt hope for the first time. "Does this mean, what I think it means?"

"Well, I haven't really forgiven you yet, but I'm willing to work on it together. I do have a few conditions."

"Anything."

"First, we take it slow. Like if we had just met." He nodded. "That means no sex until I feel we are ready." He nodded again and smirked. "I mean it Wade!"

"I know you do, but are you sure you can resist me." He smirked again.

She hit his chest. "I'm just saying Doc.." She covered his mouth with her hand.

"Wade..Stop. You know I love when you tease me, but not now okay?" Another nod.

"Secondly, we both have issues we need to work on. I think the best way to get past them is …. therapy." She observed his reaction. He wrinkled his nose. "Wade, I fear that if we don't, we might end up in a similar situation, so please do this for me."

"For you Doc, I'll do anything. Even therapy, if that is what it takes." He leaned it for a kiss but she stopped him with a hand on his chest. He looked worried.

"It's not that I don't want you to kiss me, I do, but I meant what I said. We need to take it slow."

"No physical contact; got it." He smiled. He was willing to wait if it meant he had her back in his life.

She smiled back. Then she gave him a soft kiss on the lips. He looked confused.

"I thought you said.."

"From now on," she said with a coy smile and took his hand in hers. "Now, let's get out of the rain."

"Why? I like the way you look in the rain." He winked at her.

"Wade"

"Sorry"

He laughed and so did she.

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**Post A/N: I hope you liked the story. It's a little weird I know, but who cares as long as ZW ends up together - Am I right? hehe**


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